Dumb-bell for physical exercises.



No. 881,438. PATENTED MAR. 10, '1908.

- G. NOHL.

DUMB BELL FOR PHYSICAL EXERCISES.

APPLICATION FILED MAY 20, 1907.

DUMB-BELL FOR PHYSICAL EXERCISES.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented March 10, 1908.

Application filed May 20, 1907. Serial No. 374,753.

To all whom it may concern: Be it known that I, Gnone NoHL, a subject ofthe German Emperor, residing at Manchester, county of Lancaster,England, have invented new and useful Improvements in Dumb-Bells forPhysical Exercises, of which the following is the specification.

My invention relates to dumb-bells for physical culture exercises andthe object of my improvements is to render a tension of the muscles ofthe hand, wrist and arm necessary before the handle is made accessibleand can be grasped. When the handle has been ultimately grasped a tightgrip and a continuous tension of the muscles is necessary in order tomaintain the hold on the handle. A considerable expenditure of willpower is thus necessary when using the dumb-bells and great benefit isderived by I the user, as it is well known that the benefit derived fromany exercise is proportionate to the expenditure of will power. I attainthis object by disposing upon the handle near its middle oppositelyinclined planes, faces or the like in the form of converging truncatedcones, the said cones being arranged so close together as to render thehandle inaccessible to the hand before lateral displacement in oppositedirections of the inclined planes which are capable of sliding on thehandle from the middle outwards against the action of resilient means.

In order to grasp the handle the handis introduced into the spacebetween the converging cones and the grip is gradually tightened wherebythe cones are laterally displaced and uncover the handle which isultimately firmly grasped by the hand. The resilient means incompression or tension have the tendency to return the cones to theiroriginal positions and to remove the hand from'the handle by pushing thecones or tubular wedges between them from both sides, a constant tensionof the muscles being required to prevent this and to maintain the holdon the handle, a firm grip being thus.

made compulsory.

The cones may either be additional pieces, parts of the bells or weightsor integral with the latter in which case the bells themselves areadapted to slide upon the handle.

Means are provided to regulate the compression or tension of the springsas the strength of the user increases.

The improved dumb-bells may be made from the usual materials such asiron, wood or the like and the angle of inclination of the cones may beslightly varied according to the material used but an angle from 45-60will generally be found to give satisfaction. Wlth such an angle ofinclination of the cones a space of about 5} inch between the narrowends has proved convenient.

It is not necessary that the inclined planes should be straight-linedand the cone may be replaced by the end art of a spheroid, paraboloid,or hyperbolbid. For the sake of clearness only cone will be mentionedhereafter but it must be understood to include the before mentioned shaes.

Figure 1 shows a sectional e evation of a dumb-bell in which the conesare additional piecesQ Fig. 2, a sectional elevation of a dumb-bell inwhich the cones are part of the bells so modified as to serve the newpurpose. Figs. 38 represent sectional elevations of dumb-bells in whichthe cones are integral with or attached to' the bells themselves.Similar parts are indicated by the similar letters in the variousfigures.

Referrin to the Fig. 1 of the drawings, 1) is'the usua solid or tubularhandle made in one part and connecting the bells, knobs or weights (1,,the ends of the handle, for example, being preferably screwed into thebells. Mounted on the handle near the middle and adapted to slidethereon in opposite directions from the middle outwards are thetruncated cones c with the inclined planes or faces at c.

Between the base of the truncated cones which preferably does not exceedthe largest diameter of the bells helical or volute springs d of anysuitable cross-section, are coiled around the handle, the ends of thesprings bein attached respectively to the cones and the ells in anysuitable manner so as to limit the inward motion of the cones in orderto leave sufficient space between them for the introduction of the hand.As shown in the drawings this may be done by providing coned hubs a 0 onthe two parts to be connected by the springs and forcing the ends of thesprings on these cones or screwing them into screwthreads providedthereon.

In order to vary the resistance of the springs it is only necessary toturn the weights in one direction or the other. Stronger or weakersprings may easily be inserted as required in accordance with the strenth of the user.

Referring to Fig. 2, spherical bells a are divided at right-angles tothe handle, each inner part being provided with the necessary inclinedplanes 0 by tangential extensions and adapted to slide on the handle. Ahelical spring d is coiled around the handle and abuts at one end on thefixed part of the weight and at the other on the movable or cone part,both being preferably recessed or grooved to receive the ends of thespring. The inward movement of the cones is in this case limited by aswelling 5 provided at the middle of the handle. As an alternative tothis construction the handle may be provided with grooves extending fromboth ends till near the middle and corresponding projections in the boreof the cones may engage therewith.

Referring to Fig. 3, the cones are made integral with or attached to thebells a or the bells may be considered to be beveled at their innerends. In this case the bells themselves are, of course, adapted to slideon the handle, their inward movement being, for example, limited by aswelling 1) of the handle or by slightly increasing the diameter of thehandle at the middle.

Into tapped holes in the ends of the handle screws 6 are screwed betweenthe heads of which and the bottom of the weights helical springs d areprovided within a recess of the weights. By turning the screws 6 in onedirection or the other the springs may be tightened 'or relaxed or thescrew may be taken out altogether and the spring replaced by a strongeror weaker one.

Fig. 4 shows a similar dumb-bell to the one shown in Fig. 3. In thiscase the inward movement of the weights a is limited by a partition adividing the central recess in the weights in two compartments, theinner one serving for the reception of the handle 6 and the outer onebeing destined for the reception of a volute spring (i which abuts atone end on the partition e and at the other on the head of a screw 6passing through a bore in the partition into a tapped hole in the end ofthe handle.

Referring to Figs. 5 and 6, the handle is made tubular and a helicalspring (Z in its interior keeps the weights as close together aspossible. The inward movement of the weights a is limited by the bottomof their recess coming in contact with the ends of the handle. Theendsof the spring pass through holes in the bottom of the recess in theweights and are provided with screw threads on which nuts with enlargedheads fit, the springs thus constituting a resilient connection betweenthe weights. By turning the nuts 0 in one direction or the other thespring may be tightened or relaxed. When the hand is introduced into thespace between the beveled ends of the bells and gradually closed, thelatter slide outward on the handle and the spring is strained, as shownin Fig. 6.

In Fig. 7 the weights a themselves serve as nuts for the right-handedand left-handed screw-threaded ends of the spring (1. By turning theweights in opposite directions or holding one stationary and turning theother, the spring joining them may be tightened or relaxed.

In Fig. 8 a double elastic cord or fine helical spring is shown joiningthe weights (1 The variation in the resistance to the lateraldisplacement of the weights is effected, by shortening or lengtheningthe elastic cord or spring.

It will be understood that the weights may be of spherical, cylindrical,hexagonal or any other shape and any number of springs of other shapesor material than those shown, as for instance, flat steel or whalebonesprings, india-rubber or pneumatic cushions, may be used.

It will also be understood that the means for limiting the inward motionof the cones shown and described with reference to one construction maybe applied to any other modified construction.

The improvements may also be applied to handles of other exercisingapparatus.

The construction of the dumb-bells em- ,bodying my improvements may, asa matter of course, be altered in various ways without departing fromthe spirit of my invention and therefore I do not confine myself to theexact forms shown and described.

I claim 1. In a dumb-bell for physical culture exercises, thecombination of two converging truncated cones slidably mounted upon thehandle, and resilient means mounted thereon for resisting their outwarddisplacement and for normally maintaining them near the middle thereof,substantially as described.

2. In a dumb-bell for physical culture exercises the combination of twoconverging truncated cones slidably mounted upon the handle, with meansfor limiting the inward movement of the cones, and resilient meansmounted on the handle for resisting their outward displacement, and fornormally maintaining them near the middle thereof.

3. In a dumb-bell for physical culture exercises the combination of twoconverging truncated cones slidably mounted upon the handle, with meansfor limiting their inward movement, resilient means mounted on thehandle for resisting their outward movement and for normallymaintaining'them near the middle thereof, and means for regulating theresistance.

4;. A dumb-bell forphysical culture exercises, having the weightsadapted to slide on the handle, the said weights being provided withconical faces at their inner ends, means v 10 for limiting the inwardmoYement of the.

'GEORG NOHL.

W] tnesses v WILHELM WILLENBI'EOHER, MAX SEIDEL.

